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monicakm1

Staining Alder/Can You Help w/ This Color?

monicakm_gw
9 years ago

I found this cabinet online. It's noted that it's an alder wood. When I showed my cabinet maker this picture, he said I wouldn't be able to get this golden tone with alder...but this IS alder. I understand about camera flashes, so, having said that, do any of you have any suggestions on how to get as close to this as possible? We like the English Chestnut from Minwax but it needs some gold/yellow. I thought about adding some Fruitwood to the mix. Appreciate any suggestions :)
Thanks,
Monica

Comments (15)

  • gregmills_gw
    9 years ago

    Why not just use the actual stain that was used on the cabinet? Why try to match?

  • gregmills_gw
    9 years ago

    I realize the company may not be willing to give up the color formula. But you could order a sample and give that to your cabinet guy. If hes a true pro he will take care of the rest. You shouldnt have to worry about matching. That should be his job.

  • gregmills_gw
    9 years ago

    Well eitherthat picture is truely that deceiving or your cabinet guy is not the guy i would want building my stuff.

    That company onviously was able to get that color. There are ways. Numerous ways to achieve that color. Im talking dyes, stains, tints.
    This is just my advice, if your cabinet guy is unwilling or unable to get that color or at least attempt to then id find someone else.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The cabinet guy is definitely who I want BUILDING my cabinet. We've used him before and we're both very happy with what he's done for us (as is the rest of the community). What has got me more than a little worried is his staining capabilities. He hasn't been paid yet. If it looks bad, he can fix it. Knowing his work ethics is the only thing that is keeping holding on to hope that this, in spite of myself, is going to turn out looking great.
    I came home with a quart of Sherwood 3215 Classic Fruitwood and some pre-stain wood conditioner from a Shwerwin Williams store. Classic Fruitewood starts out with a chestnut base. It looked very close to the picture (on my phone). The store called a local wood working shop they do business with and asked if they had a scrap piece of alder. He did AND he drove across town to bring it to me while I was at the store...he picked up some materials while he was there. So now have 4 colors to mix and a wood conditioner and some spray laquer. I should be able to create something this weekend that knocks the socks off me :)

    I don't know anything about dyes and tints and it's apparently up to ME to find the combination I want. The gentleman at SW that helped me said some people put stain in the lacquer as an added color layer after the initial coat of stain. That sound interesting.
    I just thought someone here might be able to say "oh yeah, to get that color on alder add this and that and a little of this" (g) If I don't get there, I'm sure I'll find something that I'm happy with.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    After a few coats of semi-gloss lacquer on the SW Classic Fruitwood, it is too red and too dark. I'm heading back to SW this afternoon. Can ANYone suggest a color that I can add to the Classic Fruitwood that would reduce the red and add some yellow-brown (or any other combination that would closely match the photo above?)
    Monica

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    My alder countertops have a distinctly gold tone with no stain, just waterlox.

    I would start with a distinctly gold-toned stain, like puritan pine, and add the brown stain to it in measured proportions. It's easier to darken or go redder with stain than lighten it and go yellow.

    Do 100% puritan pine, and also a mix of 25%pine/75% fruitwood and 50 pine/50 fruitwood and see what it looks like.

    Adjust from there, but realize that every board is a bit different.

  • rwiegand
    9 years ago

    Have the cabinet maker build them and then take them to a finisher to get the finish and color you want. It (matching an existing color) can be a fussy process, not typically accomplished with the application of a single color in a single layer (even if that's what the original maker did). if nothing else the wood will probably be a different color to start with. For someone with a good eye and experience this will probably be pretty straightforward.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you so much lazygardens! That's definitely something to work with!

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well, I've contacted one and will be contacting another painter for bids. Both have done work for us in the past. One stained the my bathroom vanity and the other did a faux leather effect on our den walls. I know we'll be happy with either one. Now to speak with the cabinet man. Not looking forward to it :(

  • Sherrie
    8 years ago

    Wondering what you came up with? I too like the cabinet door color and I'm right where you where when you posted this.....I've been into this for 2 months trying to find a color for a whole house of cabinetry, also working with alder, clear alder. Local companies carry sher-wood stains from sherwin williams, promatch c-mix from chemcraft, both of these places could never match other furniture pieces I brought in...always to red.....min wax is available in multiple places around town, it's on current cabinetry that I have in one house, but it's faded and changed color even in areas that dont get sun........

  • PRO
    VB Design
    3 months ago

    So not sure if you are still looking, but I found this

  • PRO
    VB Design
    3 months ago

    Oops not that one!

  • PRO
    VB Design
    3 months ago

    Ok so unable to upload the correct picture. But website says they sell the stain, so you might reach out to them!

  • PRO
    VB Design
    3 months ago

    Here it is! Please share if you are able to find another alternative!